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What have you done to your XS today?
- Thread starter I am Carbon
- Start date
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- Tags
- maintenance
Have a few days at home before the wife and I take off again and really didn’t plan it but I had to pull the cover off the bike. Then a wrench made its way into my hand which of course meant the side covers and seat had to come off. After that it was on. I installed the NOS starter safety relay I picked up off eBay and since I pulled the Airboxes it was only fitting I install my new carb boots. I had put the flasher relay under the cover when I deleted the original bad relay but I didn’t like the way the starter wasn’t kicking out when the engine started if I didn’t let off the button fast enough. A quick rearrangement and everything fits and works great now! 
Once everything was back together I started the bike and it ran like crap on one cylinder! I went back over my connections and made sure I didn’t pull anything loose. Dawned on me (note to self) make sure you don’t pinch one of the gas lines against the downtube.
Once everything was back together I started the bike and it ran like crap on one cylinder! I went back over my connections and made sure I didn’t pull anything loose. Dawned on me (note to self) make sure you don’t pinch one of the gas lines against the downtube.And the next oil leak turned out to be....... nothing to do with green gaskets. It's the fork oil seals36mm socket arrived today. So I can reinstall the front sprocket and tighten it properly now. Hopefully that's going to be another oil leak that's history. Wonder where the next oil leak will be
Paleomechanic
XS650 Addict
What is this rain you speak of?What did I do today ? Well, it stopped raining , for once it seems! , so got a last light ride in
Enjoying the miles and miles of fast dirt roads around my place
By dark , you guessed it , rain again ….
We haven't seen any in weeks.
I managed to find my feeler gauges today to I tore into the breaker points and timing advance. The weights were fine but the whole shaft was pretty grimy and hard to move in the cam bore which explains why I did not feel any power until 4,000rpm.
Everything cleaned up and reassembled on the right side, I checked the timing advance with my timing gun and it was satisfactory.
However, since I moved the points (to gap them properly), I needed to check the timing on both cylinders. And I was in for a surprise. The right cylinder was way too advanced. Very weird. It was actually so advanced that to retard it, I had to extend the notches on the points armature plate. And then I had to advance the heck out of the left breaker point because the whole plate was retarded a lot. Nonetheless, problem solved, both cylinders firing with base timing advance at idle and moving to full advance after 3k rpm.
Test ride was successful and satisfactory. The flat underpowered feeling below 4k rpm is gone, she pulls well from 2,000 and the power increase feels pretty linear with no surprises.
I still want to readjust the timing a couple times to see whether I can fine-tune her for maximum power. But so far this was a big item on my ToDo list and I can finally cross it off.
Replaced the battery that finally started to weaken after 8 years of use
Paleomechanic
XS650 Addict
Well done !
I’m going to have a look at mine as well, just to check gaps
Decided to buy a genuine Yamaha front mudguard while they are still available. The aftermarket one fitted is probably the most obvious non original part on the bike. I am by no means a rivet counter where bikes are concerned. But I feel happier having a Yamaha one on there 
Amazing that you can still find new bodywork for these old bikes!
Agreed. That's why I decided to get one while I still could
After my woeful ride on Sunday; Taffy went in the lockup covered up until I can face pulling the thing apart again!
What happened Adam? Did I miss something?
Lesson learned. The battery I bought in May this year cranks the motor fine but doesn't have enough to light the sparks at the same time. Kick start fine and electric starts fine when warm, but not from a cold start. Full marks to Tayna batteries who tested the battery this morning and refunded me. So I then bought what I should have bought in the first place. Not all batteries are created equally and despite having a good paper specification, the battery I took back clearly wasn't up to the job.
Bought this instead -
Bought this instead -
Cleaned Taffy down after the weekend ride. Pushed into the corner of the lockup and put the indoor cover over. Out of sight out of mind for now.
Right time to give Merlin some attention.
Right time to give Merlin some attention.
OutgunnedOverbudget
XS650 Member
looking through my many boxes of parts. Found a set of R/D springs, stainless valves, and guides 
my wallet is very happy !
my wallet is very happy !As the only switch remaining on the bike that hasn't been completely stripped and cleaned, took the ignition switch off today. Looking to reduce the ~0.8 to 1 volt voltage drop on the switched live wires.
I recall there's a thread here somewhere about stripping and cleaning these. Off to try and find it now
Further debt of gratitude to @5twins -
https://www.xs650.com/threads/locks-and-keys.60861/post-718426
I recall there's a thread here somewhere about stripping and cleaning these. Off to try and find it now
Further debt of gratitude to @5twins -
https://www.xs650.com/threads/locks-and-keys.60861/post-718426
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Switch stripped and cleaned. Not really much wrong inside. I have suspected the voltage drop I see on the switched live is mostly from 48 year old bullet connectors getting crusty. Opening the ignition switch 90% confirms that. Polished up the contacts. The detent springs look new, no rust. The pictures below are before cleaning. Lubricated everything and put it back togetherAs the only switch remaining on the bike that hasn't been completely stripped and cleaned, took the ignition switch off today. Looking to reduce the ~0.8 to 1 volt voltage drop on the switched live wires.
I recall there's a thread here somewhere about stripping and cleaning these. Off to try and find it now
Further debt of gratitude to @5twins -
https://www.xs650.com/threads/locks-and-keys.60861/post-718426
View attachment 333676
Forks ready for new seals. It will be next week now before I do these.
Test fit a 3D printed home designed throttle assembly that will take a stock 79 XS throttle tube and cable and facilitate kill/start momentary switches whilst maintaining a design theme running through my current chop build. Test fit was successful, so now to get it machined up.
